He also claimed that, during an era where public trust in the police was low, he always upheld the highest standard of officer accountability.

"If I'm to be terminated for upholding the highest policing standards, that will be a first in policing and a disgrace to our city," Garcia said in a separate interview with the Republic Thursday. "City management needs to decide whether they want this city to be run by the unions or this police chief."

Zuercher took less than two hours to call his own news conference announcing he had fired Garcia not for defending his record but for disobeying a direct order in hosting the earlier gathering with the media.

"I think Chief Garcia has done a good job — all the men and women of the department have done a good job," Zuercher said. "But let me be clear, this issue is about following orders, about obeying an order from a supervisor."

"I gave him an order not to have a press conference, but he directly disobeyed," he continued, stating that assistant chief Joseph Yahner will replace Garcia as acting chief. "He's a good man, but I'm disappointed in his choices."

"Today was a direct act of insubordination by the police chief against the city management," Stanton told KPHO-TV. "That's not acceptable."

City councilman Michael Nowakowski said in a statement that although he supported the chief, he could not stand behind his decision to directly disobey Zuercher.

"Mr. Garcia's actions today illustrated a disregard for the management of this city and demonstrated insubordination by violating a direct order," Nowakowski said. "While I have supported Mr. Garcia in his goals of achieving a top performing police force, I cannot support an employee of any stature not respecting their supervisor."